Red Comet
by CelestialLunarWolf
Summary: Stories of Pokemon trainers beating all odds and achieving their dreams as Pokemon masters is a thing we often hear. But what about the Pokemon themselves? Furthermore, a Pokemon who isn't exactly what everyone believes it to be? An encounter between a trainer with horrible luck and a Blaziken with a mysterious past... What adventure is exactly awaiting for this unexpected pair?
1. Chapter 1: Unusual Beginnings

The name is CelestialLunarWolf (or Luna for short) and this is my very first ever fanfic. Having always loved Pokemon, I've wanted to make stories since I was little. However, I never actually went through with it until just recently. I got inspired to make this after dreaming something a little similar to it. I thought it was a very interesting plot and decided to wing it. Bare in mind that there is bound to be a lot of flaws and errors since this is my first time. And I apologize in advance but that's just the way of things. And without further ado, here it is!

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**_Chapter 1: Unusual Beginnings_**

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Have you ever imagined life as a Psyduck? No? Really..? Are you sure? Nah, me niether.  
It would be one heck of a trip though.

I'm not gonna be here lecturing about the meaning of life. No. For Arceus' sake, no.  
I am here to lecture to you about "my" life. This is my own glorified autobiography to you. Now, aren't you so lucky?

Now let's see... my day consists of beating kids out of their money and being treated like a hobo whenever I go buy something at some store or restaurant. Sounds like a fantastic plot for a 3 star movie doesn't it? That is what my life might as well be.

I am 6'05". I am 115 pounds. I pack a pretty good punch. Good enough to leave 3rd degree burns actually. Now, you're probably thinking I'm either a psychopath or an X-men mutant. Life is funny that way.

To prevent your imagination from having too much fun, I shall clarify. I am a Pokemon. To be more specific, I am that flaming kung pao chicken called Blaziken.

Am I a talking pokemon? Am I really being told what some pokemon does in his/her free time? Yes and no.

======================

"Mmmm just enough to afford a good hamburger at that place again..."  
The PokeDollars are crumpled into my claws as they are being accounted for. Exactly P309.  
Another 10 year-old boy is left astounded, attending to his Pokemon which I gave a good pummeling to. Securing my winnings into my pouch, I quickly leave the scene before one of them Jenny clones has the chance to capture me for odd behavior.

Life as a Pokemon can be pretty different, depending how you want to play your cards. In the wild, you play by nature's rules. Either live to have a meal in your stomach or be a member of a pack. When "tamed" by a human, you live pretty easy for the most part. You can be a family pet or be trained "to be the very best" in Pokemon battles by a trainer. Unfortunately, it is soley based on if your human is actually capable of logical thinking. It seems the odds are worse considering that your trainer can be as young as 10 years. Haha, how funny to have to call some snot-nosed brat "Master".

"Oh how things have changed." I chuckled to myself. Trekking my way back into town, already fantasizing about my well-deserved meal.

What rules do I live by? Am I king of the jungle or a child's combatant? I am neither. I am just that weird exception to that rule.

I finally get to my favorite food joint and get to the already long line for the lunch rush. I take out my trusty notepad and start scrawling my order. Pokemon obviously can't tell their order to the cashier. So I have to play my part as well. The irregulars present are already giving me confused yet curious looks. A lone Pokemon waiting in line like a human being and writing some actually tangible English. Many of the people at this establishment have long since been used to my presence, but there are always some newcomers who are perplexed by such an event. I'm surprised no business has called the authorities on me. I guess no matter how weird the customers may come as, some business is good business.

"Ah hello again Blaziken! Here to pick up food for your trainer again?" The female cashier greets me with her usual preppiness .

For precaution, I've made the people familiar to me believe that I'm a tamed Pokemon who does errands for their trainer. A bit farfetched. I know. But life is easier for me that way. Just tied a blue scarf around my neck and "BAM"! No longer a wild Pokemon!

I hold up my notebook, showing her what I-errr "my trainer" intended to order.

"Double cheeseburger again huh? Your trainer sure has an appetite. Why don't you have him come over next time? Anyways, that will be P250."

I hand her the exact amount thinking "Haha like that will happen..."  
But I reply with a small nod and smile possible for a Blaziken, knowing that she meant well.

I waited and immediately left the restaurant with my burger in hand-err claw.  
Going into a back alley and making sure I wasn't followed, I readied my legs and made a tremendous jump into the rooftop of a 20 story skyscraper. Certain that I can have my privacy, I sit down and dive into my food. Being a bird with some thunder thighs sure has its perks.

Enjoying my meal, I gaze into the sunny weather. A few clouds are swimming in the vast and deep blue sky. A wondrous cool breeze flows through my feathers and I savor it.

"The sky is the same as always... The times are so very different yet it somehow still retains itself."

The Pidgey's fly across the sky in the middle of migration and the rustle and bustle of the city below continues with no sign of stopping. Finishing my meal, I fall backwards and lay on the floor of the rooftop. I take a long deep breath of fresh air and exhale all of my stress.

"How long..."

Memories both good and bad flood into my mind. Ones easily forgotten and ones that will always be remembered.

"How long... has it been since I was human...?"

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That's the end of the first chapter. I know that this is actually pretty short for fanfiction standards but I thought this was a good place to stop. This a really experimental story so please excuse the lack of originality or any grammar error. English is not my best subject. Both advice and criticism is welcome. And please, tell me if you are interested in reading more or not. Thank you for reading and I hope I can continue to write more for everyone ^^

-CelestialLunarWolf


	2. Chapter 2: Unfortunate Luck

Wooo! 2nd chapter came out earlier than I expected it to. Definitely thought I would be putting it off till next week, but your guys' enthusiasm energized me to make another chapter. Thanks so much to all of my readers and especially my reviewers (^w^)

LoudshadowRoss: My first official reviewer! :D It's good to know that my first chapter is a good first chapter. And yes I do love making things funny and break the 4th wall a lot hehe... I shall not disappoint!

Robert: Thank you for loving it. I will write to the best of my abilities and make many many more!

Guest (#1 obviously :P Seriously though I would love a name. I want to acknowledge who my awesome readers are): Yay my story and my writing style doesn't suck! Hopefully, you will continue loving it and my work remains unsucky!

Keep up the reviews since I obviously love them. It will always help knowing what works and what doesn't work either. Just let your presence be known to me :)  
Anyways, I bring to you chapter 2!

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Chapter 2: Unfortunate Luck

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The sun shone brilliantly as the park's visitors enjoyed the wide open space. Families enjoying picnics in the green wet grass. Kids clamoring over their icy sweets at the ice cream stall. Both people and Pokemon alike refreshed by the pleasurably cool fountain at the center of the public park. It was another wonderfully peaceful day...

"WHY DOES MY LIFE SUCK SO BAD?!"

At that moment, everyone's attention turned onto the teenage boy who was now on his knees and despairing over his pitiful existence. It would have been quite comical if it actually wasn't so...sad...

The boy continued making a fool of himself in public. Making incomprehensible frustrated noises and furiously messing up his black hair, he paced himself aimlessly in circles all while his duck Pokemon followed him. Also disheartened, the Farfetch'd carried his head low with a long sigh and walked in unison with his trainer. Despite causing quite a commotion, everyone resumed to their previous activities but not without some whispering. At this point, the boy made his way out of the park and into the streets of the city.

"Mmmm..."

The young adolescent continued to grumble and his mind grew more troubled by the minute.

"One after the other! Inside and out! Day and night! 24/7! 7 days a week! 365 days in a year and we still haven't won a single Pokemon battle after who knows how long?!"

His Farfetch'd nodded in full agreement, acknowledging their ongoing predicament.

He continued to ramble on about his misfortunes until he finally needed to calm down. Taking a much needed breath, the messy-haired boy finally regained his composure and found an outside seat at a small cafe. After getting his order of a nice cup of mocha latte, he took a small sip and looked pensively into his drink with his dark brown eyes.

The 16 year old boy wore a large dark gray hooded jacket which seemed almost too big for him. On the jacket's left side, a simplistic design of a PokeBall colored in red was adorned. He also wore a typical pair of blue jeans along with some black tennis shoes. By his seat, his bulging brown backpack lay next to him and had certainly seen better days. With a slight tan as proof of his adventuring, he was your average Pokemon trainer with the same goals as everyone else. To be a world-renowned Pokemon Master.

"Heh...and here I thought that I would get there in no time."

The Farfetch'd looked back at him with saddened eyes on the ground. Unable to bear his companion's gaze, he fetched its PokeBall and called him back to it. He stared hard into the PokeBall and clenched it before attaching it back to his belt.

Although the teenager overreacted and was hard on himself quite often, all of his worries were quite real. Pokemon Trainers can start their journey as early as 10 years of age. Even younger at some weird cases. Everyone recognized what a trainer must do to get to the path of Pokemon Master. Challenge the gym leaders across a particular region and earn their badges. 8 of them. Only worthy enough trainers could surpass this expectation and participate in the Pokemon League. It was a grand yearly tournament in which trainers with a complete set of badges battled against others just as powerful . The single winner who came up on top was recognized as a top notched trainer. The true and ultimate test, however, was to then battle against the Elite Four. Four trainers of unimaginable skill and wit who possessed some of the strongest Pokemon in the world. And then finally, the Pokemon Champion. The best of the best. Only after defeating him would you truly deserve the title Pokemon Master.

A rigorous journey is destined for any trainer who dares try to make his dream come true. And yet...

"Just what can I do now? Two years. Two long years since my start and I've gotten practically nowhere. Not even a single badge!"

Even his case was quite unheard of...

"Come on, Zack. You need a plan. And a pretty darn good one if your dream is ever gonna take off!"

Zack took a mental check of what he had so far. He currently is the owner of a Farfetch'd and a Mareep. Only two Pokemon but they were still enough to work around with if he had the right stuff. Unzipping his backpack, he shuffled through his belongings and did inventory check. Only a few berries and one potion. Playing optimistic, he opened his wallet to look at his funds. Unfortunately for him, his poor wallet was pretty anorexic and definitely not what he wanted it to be.

"Ahaha okay... I'm a trainer of only two Pokemon with little to no supplies and I'm on the verge of bankruptcy...", he mentally cried to himself.

He slouched back into his chair. His coffee was cold at this point but it didn't matter. He wasn't thirsty anymore.

"Mmmm... I guess I should at least heal up my Pokemon at the Pokemon Center. Especially considering that we got demolished for the 76th time..."

Finished with his monologue, Zack found the willpower to get up and made his way to the Pokemon Center. It certainly wasn't his day.

Zack was taking a much needed rest from his morning, laying down on one of the couches supplied by the Pokemon Center. He had already admitted his Pokemon to Nurse Joy at the front desk and was just waiting for them to fully recover.

_"It's not as lightning fast as they make it to be in the video games..."_

As he was questioning why life couldn't be just like the games, a couple of trainers were talking up a storm that he couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

"Wha...? Not even you were able to take it down?!"

"And with a type advantage too! Just how high of a level is it?!"

Zack sat up and turned towards the group of boys who looked at one of the friends who seemed to have lost a battle. He listened more intently with his curiosity getting the better of him.

"I thought I could win with my Wartortle, but even my best Pokemon couldn't even hit him," the boy exclaimed.

"Eeeh...? No way..." His friends looked at him in disbelief.

_"Wow, a Wartotle? Must've been some Pokemon if it won without a scratch..."_ Zack was also surprised upon hearing this.

Another person, who also seemed to be one of their friends, just joined the group but didn't look like he knew what was going on.

"Hmmm, what are you guys talking about?"

"Nick tried to go up against that Blaziken and even his Wartortle wasn't enough!"

"Oh really? That Blaziken? Was its trainer around for the battle this time?"

_"This time..? The trainer isn't around every time? And a Blaziken too huh..."_ Zack was pretty much absorbed into their discussion.

"No... Actually, I don't think anyone who has ever seen that Blaziken has."

"Yeah it's pretty weird. Always holding up a sign. Looking for a fight and wanting money if it wins."

"Mmmm yeah but you know...Maybe...it doesn't even have a trainer..?"

"What?!" Without realizing, Zack yelled it out loud and embarrassed himself in public "again".

The trainers who he was listening on were caught off guard by his sudden outburst and the revelation that he had been eavesdropping came to them. They quickly moved on elsewhere to avoid another unexpected audience.

However, Zack had other things in mind.

_"A Pokemon that strong without a trainer? This might be the opportunity that I was looking for!"_ His eyes glimmered with hope. Something to finally dig him out of his oh so very unlucky hole! And maybe even his future trump card! Zack could just picture his glorious victories now. But then he stopped himself.

_"Uhhh but then again..."_ He slumped back into the couch. He considered his bad luck as of late. Having not won in so long, it isn't very likely for him to break that streak anytime soon. Let alone a Pokemon so formidable that it might be stronger than all of the people he lost against combined. He frowned at the thought. Deep thinking caused several minutes to pass by.

"But still..." Determination grew on Zack's face.

"I have to try. Even if I do lose, from now on all I can do is improve!"

Not faltering this time, he went straight to the front desk where his two Pokemon were conveniently ready for him. Putting them back into their positions on his belt, he turned towards the exit and marched forward.

"Today, Zack Valens shall break his string of bad luck and rocket into Pokemon mastery!"

He announced with a booming voice. For the third time, the public was there to witness his embarrassing humiliation. But this time he didn't mind one single bit. Nothing could stop him this time! They are witnessing the making a future Pokemon Master!

As confident as he was depressed earlier, he ran where his feet took him. He sped across the city, despite being completely oblivious to the fact that he had absolutely no idea where this mystery Pokemon was. Or even where to begin...

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And there's the end of chapter 2! Longer than the first chapter which is good. I would've made this chapter a bit longer but once again, stopping points matter. Hopefully, my characterization is pretty decent since Zack is pretty much a spazz. Although fun, they are very hard to control when writing. Anyways, many awesome shout outs to my first official reviewers and readers! Look forward to the next chapter :3

-CelestialLunarWolf


	3. Chapter 3: Crimson Encounter

Sorry about the wait guys lots of things going on. College life be crazy.

Awww no new reviews? Well that's okay I will be here writing with my lonesome self TvT  
I really do like reviews though so please leave one.

Before I let the new chapter loose, I would like to dedicate this chapter to my dog Max. He was my pet 11 year old American bulldog. Just hours after the second chapter got posted, he passed away in his sleep from natural causes. Today he was cremated and his ashes are now back with my family. Max, thank you for the years of companionship and know you are always part of my family. I dedicate this chapter to you ^^

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_**Chapter 3: Crimson Encounter**_

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"Uhhh... Where...? Mmmmm..."

The green forest shrouded every direction and certainly didn't make Zack any more of a boy scout. The young trainer wandered through the forest with the directional sense of a dizzy Spinda. Having spent an hour already in his search, there were no signs of the rumored and elusive Blaziken he sought.

"The great Zack Aven's momentous comeback into Pokémon mastery isn't exactly taking off like I had hoped. Haha, just trees, trees, and a bunch more trees..." Zack mused with wavering motivation.

It wouldn't be the first time things didn't go his way. But with the sun still high in the sky, he continued to trek onwards. He scouted through the repeating scenery, looking for possible landmarks that would at least give him the mental relief that he wasn't stuck in any RPG gamer's worst nightmare, The Lost Forest Maze. Of course, he did this half-heartedly. What else could a boy brainwashed by video games imagine when walking through the same exact looking greenery?

After his huge spiel when he left the Pokémon Center, his march ended abruptly when Zack realized his so called plan lacked "means of getting there." He figured out the "Who, What, and When" parts.

Who? Zack Valens obviously.  
What? Be Pokémon Master. Duh!  
When? NOW!

"Where and How" was when he realized he had to do a "little" more thinking. So, he asked a few fellow Pokémon trainers about this mystery Pokémon and picked up some tips on its whereabouts. Afterwards, Zack took a quick detour to the PokéMart and used the last of his funds to purchase a Great Ball. Because you know, Pokémon can't be caught without PokéBalls. A Great Ball was even better! And now, he's potentially lost in the forest with nothing but optimistic desperation driving him. Zack reached into his backpack and took out the Great Ball and stared into it. This is it. The key to turning his rotten luck around!

Zack looked ahead again with revitalized determination and was just about to take off running when he noticed something on the corner of his eye. He turned his attention to a clearing within the forest. Returning the Great Ball in to his backpack, he began curiously walking towards it. Traversing through the bushes and under the branches, he entered the clearing and in front of him was a clean, blue lake. The body of water wasn't too large so it was possible to miss it, even though it was right next to the dirt road. Despite its size, the water was pristine and beautiful as it glistened under the sunlight. With spring just starting, the patches of differently colored flowers were freshly blossomed and swayed with the cool breeze. Some of the wild Pokémon too have been reawakened by the new season and were happily performing their daily activities within the vicinity.

"W-wow, I could've missed this."

Zack stood there, taking in the scenery. With all of his disappointments and failed expectations, something like sightseeing was some of the things he had forgotten to think about during his journey. He crouched down and gazed upon both the flowers and the small lake. He thought back about the start of his journey, the desire to make his friends and families proud, and his past certainty that he would have the time of his life training Pokémon every day. He reminisced about the hopeful beginnings two years ago which seemed so distant now. Zack smiled sadly as he recalled just how naive he really was before. Aware that this would get him nowhere, he let out a big sigh and was just about to get up when he heard a sound from across the lake.

_Splash splash._

"_Hmmm?"_

Zack checked around him, believing it might've been one of the wild Pokémon native to this area. To his surprise, however, it wasn't the case. It didn't take long for his eyes to come upon a particular red humanoid creature which was just on the other side of the lake. His heart skipped a bit and he seriously thought he might be imagining things. But no doubt about it. There it was. Blaziken.

Zack gulped and slowly stood up, trying to observe just what his target was doing. The Blaziken was sitting and staring down at the lake's waters. Zack began quietly making his way towards where the Pokémon was at. Its claws appeared to be holding something since it was tossing it up and catching it in a repetitive fashion. As he got closer, the Blaziken tossed it into the water and Zack saw it skipping on the lake's surface, realizing it was only a pebble. Undeterred, he continued to close the gap and his gaze was intent on the prize.

The Blaziken was bigger than the average Pokémon which was unsurprising since it was twice evolved. Although, Zack couldn't quite determine how tall it really was since it wasn't standing erect. The human-like bird was covered with feathers which displayed an exciting crimson red and yellow. An extensive light brown mane covered its back and chest. Its pair of claws were sharp and intimidating for all to see. A blue scarf was adorned around its neck and a beat-up bag was carried on its shoulder. Zack was starting to doubt if he really did stand a chance against such a tough looking Pokémon. Getting a better look at the Blaziken's face, he thought he recognized a pensive stare as it gazed onto the lake. Looking at its own reflection maybe? Zack was already about 20 yards away and was going to see what it was staring at when his target finally detected him.

The Blaziken, startled by its sudden human guest, alerted its attention onto the intruding trainer. Zack flinched as he was clearly found out. If only he had a cardboard box to hide under and crawl away. He took a step back, wanting to run away, but his resolve to change outweighed his nervousness. So, he stood his ground and spoke up, assuming the Pokémon could understand him.

"Uhh ummm... I-I challenge you to a Pokémon battle!"

Zack wished he said that in a more composed manner, but what was said was said. The Blaziken expectantly looked back at the strange Pokémon trainer for what seemed like forever in Zack's mind until it seemed to have relaxed its guard. The avian fighter got up and deposited a plain notebook from its bag. Zack curiously watched it. At first, he wondered what in the world it was doing before remembering that the Pokémon communicated through paper and pencil. The Blaziken quickly flipped through the pages of the notebook and arrived at what it was looking for. Holding it up for the odd boy to see, Zack viewed what was scribbled on the page. It was a little difficult to comprehend the chicken scratches but he was able to decipher it.

_Only 1 vs 1 Pokémon battle.  
No redo's. No backup.  
If I win, pay me P400 or whatever you have.  
If I lose, that's it._

Zack was a little disappointed with the no rewards part on his end, but understood that these were the conditions for the battle. Although, he did wonder about the writing in front of him. Either the Blaziken was gifted with the ability to barely write or the person who possibly did it for the Pokémon had the hand coordination of an Octillery. Regardless, he was ready for a battle and nodded. It won't hurt for it to know he hardly had any money anyways.

Accepting his approval, the Blaziken walked aside to set down its belongings and took up its fighting stance at a spacious area. With a loud cry, the lone fighter's wrists blazed with intense fire. Zack walked to his end of the imaginary battle space and faced his opponent. Sizing the giant bird up one more time, he grabbed one of his PokéBalls and held it out in front of him. This was it. It was time to take fate into his own hands and control it. It's now or never.

Breathing one last breath, Zack pulled his arm back with a furrowed face and thrust his PokéBall into the air.

"Go! Farfetch'd!"

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Mwuahahaha cliffhanger! :3  
Anyways, the plot will be picking up from now. Now that I got the first 3 chapters out of the way, things will start getting interesting. So feed me some reviews. Send me some attention! Show me your guys' love!  
Cuz I don't wanna have to idle for days again not knowing if you guys are reading or not.  
Since I'm apparently done whining, thanks for reading and see ya guys next chapter! ^^


	4. Chapter 4: Gone & Away

School! Why you bother me so?! Sigh anyways, finally back with a new chapter. This one took a lot more consideration than my other chapters since it had action sequences. Also, took the most breaks with this one haha xP Well time to reply to my 1 new reviewer!

madameikun - Glad you liked it, my student ^^ I'm still new to writing but I certainly do my best to break typical cliches like overly powerful characters from the very start that know absolutely everything they want to do. Besides, Zack is fun to mess with since he's pathetic :P

Hopefully, the chapters quality is the same as usual. Really not used to these type of scenes but I think they came out okay (I think).  
Well, I present to all you readers chapter 4!

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_**Chapter 4: Gone & Away**_

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Following the trainer's call, the PokéBall burst open with a brilliant light. Wildly flashing, the light descended upon the ground and took its shape. The light disappeared and his loyal duck Pokémon, Farfetch'd, stood tall with a stick in his wing and raring to fight. Zack was teeming with drive, ready to start the battle strong. Well, he would've been if his Pokémon felt the same way.

Farfetch'd looked at his opponent. It was smug for his first appearance but confidence was wiped clean off its face once he realized what he was actually up against. Blaziken, the tall Pokémon with flaming fists and piercing eyes, glared down at him. Feeling the terrifying aura from the crimson foe, the duck quickly hid behind Zack's legs in utter cowardice. His trainer could only cringe from his partner's reaction. He could hardly blame him though.

"U-ummmm... Hey, Farfetch'd... We have a battle going on. Come on."

He awkwardly tried to remind it of the situation, but the poor duck was stiff with fear. Again, completely understandable. Having not won a single match in so long, facing a powerful opponent like that was like arranging him to be a punching bag. But still, if they are gonna rise up in the ranks they have to start with something. And this is going to be it.

"Farfetch'd, I need you now please..!"

Zack begged his teammate. The Farfetch'd stopped freaking out and responded by looking at his owner's face. The cowardly Pokémon studied his face and realize that his trainer truly needed him at this moment. The Farfetch'd looked down as if deep in thought, considering the situation. Finally, determination fired in his eyes and it hopped back in front of his opponent with new zeal. Zack couldn't have been happier with his partner's response.

"Alright! It's now or never! Farfetch'd, let's go all out!"

Farfetch'd let out an energized war cry and firmly pointed its stick toward the enemy Pokémon. Blaziken, who was slightly taken back by the strange scene, reaffirmed its stance and motioned for Zack to make the first move. Zack, not missing a step, gladly initiated the Pokémon battle with a command.

"Start off with a Fury Attack!"

Following Zack's instructions, Farfetch'd leaped into action and headed straight towards Blaziken. The opponent stood there unfazed and awaited for the duck to be in range. When Farfetch'd was in reach, he delivered a rapid succession of swings with his trusty green weapon. The flurry traveled in quick speeds, but the Blaziken dodged every blow without hesitation. Zack watched his first tactic fail but the battle was just getting started. Time to play dirty...

"Farfetch'd, quick! Sand-Attack!"

As if just waiting for his trainer to give the word, Farfetch'd retreated his stick and shot it into the ground. With a forceful swipe upward, sand flew towards the blaze Pokémon's face. Not expecting a hindering move at such a close range, the Blaziken could only guard its face with its arms in a jerk response. It managed to block off most of the sand from making contact. However, there was enough for Blaziken's vision to be slightly impaired. Zack grinned, knowing his move managed to take an effect. Time for a follow up!

"Fury Attack once more!"

Farfetch'd resumed to his original attack and sent another barrage of blunt strikes. This time they made physical contact. The impaired Blaziken continued to put its arms up in resistance to absorb the blows. Zack knew that although the attacks were weak individually that they would build up over time. His opponent, however, wasn't about to give him the upper hand. By sheer force, the Blaziken pushed away its foe and jumped back a huge distance. The duck Pokémon was thrown off balance and awkwardly fell on his back hard. In the meanwhile, Blaziken cleared out its eyes and was able to regain its perfect eyesight. Uh oh.

"Farfetch'd, get up! Hurry!"

His partner struggled getting up but he was still slightly dizzy from the sudden blowback. The red fighter took up its stance once more and set its sights on the incapacitated target. With a burst of speed, the Blaziken dashed straight for Zack's Pokémon. Zack's mind started to race and panic. There was no way his Pokémon could take a full-blown hit without any guard up. As it was closing in, the red bird's right claw was clenched into a fist and a searing flame ignited around it. Not good! Not good!

_"Think! Think! Or else we're done for!" _Zack tried to think of absolutely anything he could do right now. Something! Just anything! No matter how much he thought, he couldn't come up with a solution. The Blaziken was just a few yards away and was ready to throw a Fire Punch when Zack opened his mouth and shouted desperately.

"Get out of the way with Quick Attack!"

His Farfetch'd, who finally managed to get on his two feet, instinctively obeyed. In a matter of a split second, the duck disappeared and his assailant struck the ground with tremendous power. The ground within the attack's radius shook and the punch left a smoldering imprint on the land. Farfetch'd reappeared to the left of his opponent. Zack was surprised that what he said without any thinking actually worked. The Blaziken was also surprised that it had missed its mark. And Farfetch'd was thanking the gods in his mind that it had escaped the clutches of a painful and fiery end.

_"Th-that worked?! Really...? Where'd that come from..?"_

Zack almost was lost in thought about what just happened but quickly realized he had a battle to fight. The Blaziken also was about to resume its combat mindset. Not wanting to waste a chance like this, the trainer responded.

"Quick Attack again and follow up with a Peck!"

Farfetch'd, once again, put his faith into his trainer's hands and acted. It disappeared and reappeared as it made a beeline for the defenseless opponent. Understanding that it had left itself wide open, Blaziken could only face its attacker and bear for the hit. The duck dove face first and put all its strength into its beak. The Peck attack successfully collided and Blaziken was pierced by the beak with full force. The blow pushed the blaze Pokémon back as it skid across the dirt. Farfetch'd gracefully landed on his feet and awaited for the next move. Zack was ecstatic to see that his plan managed to inflict some pretty good damage. Since Peck was a flying move and Blaziken was a fighting type, it was super effective and definitely hurt. Powering it up with Quick Attack helped a lot also. The Blaziken was struggling with the pain of the attack. Zack reached for the blue and red ball in his backpack.

_"This is it! Time to grab myself a Blaziken!"_

With Great Ball in hand, Zack took a good look at what will turn his life around. In front of him will be the key to making his dream come true. Finally feeling that luck is on his side, he threw the Great Ball far and it went straight for the Blaziken. Unfortunately, he was wrong.

The crimson bird's eyes shot open as it witnessed the boy's capture attempt. Mustering up all the strength it had and ignored the pain, Blaziken stood strong and faced the spherical device. With all of its might, its right leg was instantly enveloped in a burning fire and struck the ball away. Upon contact, the Great Ball broke and shattered into pieces. Both Zack and his Farfetch'd stared in shock. Zack couldn't believe what just happened. It wasn't rare for Pokémon to resist capture, but he had never seen one render a PokéBall into scrap metal! Everything that he had worked for up to this point had vanished in an instant. The Blaziken looked back at Zack and the trainer could see that the Pokémon was angry. Very angry. Its wrists were now blazing even more intensely than before.

_"Is it mad at me for trying to catch it..?"_ Zack tried to make sense out of the crimson bird's hateful spite. But right now, the trainer was speechless and, most of all, vulnerable.

In its rage, the Blaziken took a few speedy steps and easily closed in the distance between itself and his Farfetch'd. Before the trainer or his Pokémon could react, the Blaziken delivered a burning hot right hook and sent the poor duck flying. Zack snapped back into reality and tried to call out to his partner. It was much too late. Following up with its punch, the Blaziken sent a blast of Flamethrower. Farfetch'd cried in pain as it burned in the stream of fire. Zack could only watch as it fell back to the ground and was left singed. His Pokémon was immobile and was no longer able to fight. He couldn't believe that his so called good luck plummeted in a mere few moments.

"N-no... No... Farfetch'd..." The trainer's voice trembled as he saw his injured teammate. He first thought that maybe he could still fight, but he knew that it was impossible. There was no point lying to himself like that.

Zack struggled to retrieve the PokéBall that belonged to his Farfetch'd. He looked at his unmoving Pokémon one more time before calling him back to his PokéBall. He stared into the PokéBall and dropped to his knees. Was he really that weak all along? He could hear the Blaziken's footsteps and was aware that it was making its way to him. Zack thought about the whole battle that just took place. How it seemed like he had controlled the battle until the end. But after some thought, he came to the real conclusion...

_"I never was able to beat it to begin with..."_

That Blaziken had the whole battle in the palm of its hands. It was going easy the whole time. Zack could feel his breathing going faster and deeper from his overwhelming emotions. He knew there was a possibility that he wouldn't have been able to win to begin with. So many other trainers before him weren't able to. So why would he? But still... He thought in the back of his mind that maybe he could be the one that who could. The one to beat all odds. He was wrong. So very wrong...

The Blaziken stood before him and remained silent. Zack could not sense any hostility from the Pokémon and could tell it was no longer furious. The dispirited trainer stared up at the Blaziken, not knowing what to do next. The crimson bird held its claw open. Zack knew that what it wanted was its prize money. However, he would not be able to provide for it. The young boy slowly stood back up, not meeting its gaze.

"I...I don't have any... I'm sorry..."

The Pokémon didn't seem to expect that answer. Before it could demand some sort of explanation, something decided to interrupt them.

_Clap clap clap._

Both of them jumped at the sudden noise. Neither of the two were making that sound. Was there someone else other than them? They turned their attention next to them to find a shady man approach them. The man was in a black suit and wore a black fedora that concealed much of his face. It was hard to determine his facial features, but he had red hair which stuck out underneath his hat. Zack couldn't help but think he looked like someone straight out of a mafia movie. Judging by his behavior, it looked like the mystery man was spectating their battle. He continued to walk closer, still clapping as if applauding for a theatrical show.

"Brilliant! Brilliant as always, my amusing friend!" The strange man continued to clap louder and louder. Although his words and gestures signified enjoyment, his face hid a completely different emotion. His smile was more than just amused. His intentions screamed sinister. Blaziken began lowly growling at the man. Does the Pokémon know him? Zack could only wonder what was going on right now.

"What are you doing here?" Zack managed to ask the stranger. The man looked at the young boy and simply resumed his attention to the blaze Pokémon.

"There's no need to speak to me, weakling. I am just here to claim what is rightfully mine." The suited man scoffed as if an annoying fly was inconveniencing him.

The young trainer was quite taken back by how the man just degraded him. He was also, however, confused about his announced ownership. Zack glanced at the Pokémon who was not all happy to see the dressed stranger. Although it wasn't out of the question, Zack highly doubted that Blaziken willingly tagged along with this guy. Blaziken reignited its wrist and defensively stood against the mysterious newcomer. The man, unexpectedly, seemed pleased by this. In fact, he may have been hoping for this.

"Now, now, my friend... There's no need to get so worked up. Our last encounter may have been a little...uncivilized."

Blaziken remained suspicious of the shady character and stayed vigilant. The suited man didn't seem to mind the rebellious front. On the other hand, the unaware Pokémon trainer didn't have a single clue what was going on. Before Zack could question him again, the stranger retorted.

"However, you will offer no resistance to me this time. You will be tamed."

Before either of them could process what the man had just said, loud booms echoed around them. Both Blaziken and Zack quickly looked around in confusion. Immediately, multiple nets were launched and entangled around the blaze Pokémon. The panicked Pokémon desperately tried to escape by slashing, pulling, and burning. Despite its efforts, the net remained wrapped around and was impervious to the prisoner's opposition. Zack was terrified by what suddenly happening. Alarmed, he rushed to try and help the trapped Blaziken. His Pokémon or not, he would not let this happen! Zack grabbed a hold of the net and attempted to remove it while Blaziken continued to break free. The suited man laughed at their feeble struggle.

"Didn't I just say no more resisting..? Now, heel!"

The dark stranger snapped his fingers. As if following a cue, an electrical current sparked to life within the wirings of the net. Electric jolts were delivered to both the encased Pokémon and the young trainer. The two of them screamed in agony as the electricity coursed through their bodies. After several seconds, the man snapped once again and the electricity went dead. Both of them were finally spared, but none of them had any energy left. Blaziken fell unconscious and Zack fell to the ground, barely awake. The man stood close to them along with several other unknown individuals. Zack couldn't move and his vision was blurry and unfocused. He fought to stay conscious, however, his body was shutting down on him. His eyesight was slowly failing, yet he could still hear the stranger's words.

"Good, good. Let's take my prize back. Be gentle! I have much to do with it."

As the man inspected his so called property, he noticed that Zack still had his hands barely gripped onto the net.

"Disgusting lowlife... Like hell you had any chance of taking my precious fighter away from me!"

The stranger kicked away the trainer's hands off. Zack clenched his teeth as he felt an unbearable hot pain. Convinced that the boy was incapable of being a further obstacle , the man knelt down next to him and discovered that Zack was in possession of two occupied PokéBalls.

"I suppose a weakling like you doesn't deserve these Pokémon, right? I will gladly take them off your hands."

Without hesitation, the suited man picked up the PokéBalls and gave them to his assumed accomplice.

_"This can't be happening! No, no! This cannot be happening!"_

Zack urged himself to move but to no avail. His body would not listen to him. The boy could do absolutely nothing but watch as they became more distant with his two beloved teammates. His vision grew darker and darker as he mentally screamed for them to come back with the Pokémon. What were they going to do to them? Was this really how things will end? Is he really going to end up alone without his Farfetch'd and Mareep?! His brain kept echoing hopeless questions that were surely not going to be answered. Zack could feel warm tears well up in his eyes as he begged and begged. This painfully repeated in Zack's mind for what felt like an eternity. And at last, he lost consciousness.

* * *

Mwuahaha! And that is all for this chapter. This took SOOOO much longer to write than the previous chapters. In fact, it was two times longer than the past ones also. Perhaps this will be enough to satisfy you readers until I write the next chapter. Hopefully, I will get to that fast enough... Anyways, please follow, favorite, and review if you guys really enjoyed it. Thanks for reading and I shall come back with another part of Red Comet! :3


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